Family Vacation Time

We were able to carve out one week to reconnect as a family when we took our vacation to Duck, Outer Banks, North Carolina last week. Our fun filled days were spent trying to pretend the 65 degree water was maybe 15 degrees warmer. Every morning we would race down to the beach and one person would stick their toe in the water and report back, "It is still freezing!". Mike and I would put up our large sun canopy, and we knew we would spend more time on the beach than in the frigid waves. The one warm water day was 75 degrees and still not warm actually. The warmer temperatures brought in streams of jelly fish. They were not the stinging kind but they were about double the size of a hockey puck and triple the width. I held them in my hands to convince my kids to stay in the water, but to no avail. It wasn't fun swimming with 'hockey pucks' bumping into all your body parts under the dark surface of the water.
The purpose of our vacation was to visit Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills to see where all the kite flying, first glider flighting and ultimately the first flight took place by Wilber and Orville Wright. Visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial truly was the highlight of our trip for Mike. He had wanted to return ever since he had gone there with his parents when he was in high school. Now for the kids...not so much of a highlight.......but I know in their hearts they will someday be glad they were there.

Their highlight was when Mike and I announced that they could go hang-gliding off the the largest sand dune on the east coast located in Jockey Ridge State Park. They could not believe that Mike and I would splurge on such an expensive but truly one of kind activity. Here they were where the first flight occurred and they were going to find themselves flying! I thought this would definitely make this a memorable vacation and I was right. They had the time of their lives: running until the hang glider took over and lifted them, mid-run, off the ground and into the salty blue air.

I took many videos and photos that day but the joy and happiness on their faces will always be with me...no camera required.